“It was never a surprise to me that my life was going to be hard, because I see it in my mother and her mother. But it was never going to be a surprise to me that I was going to be strong and I was going to bounce back.”
Kennedy was born in Georgia to a single mother and a consistently incarcerated father. Her family moved to Washington to start over.
“My mom tried really hard, but even growing up, I saw what intersectionality would do to your life if you’re a woman and a woman of color. I’m experiencing that now even at 14. My mother was going to college, working a job, and taking care of her kids. It was never a surprise to me that my life was going to be hard, because I see it in my mother and her mother. But it was never going to be a surprise to me that I was going to be strong and I was going to bounce back. ”
Kennedy’s family experienced housing instability. When she was young, she was homeless for a time with her mother and family. Her family experienced homelessness again in 2022-2023 for 11 months. On February 7, 2024 Kennedy experienced homelessness as a teen alone. She found out about The Coffee Oasis through Youth Haven, the shelter she was staying at in Kirkland. She was supposed to have a two-week extension, but due to a miscommunication, she was pushed out sooner and The Coffee Oasis Loft shelter had an opening.
Kennedy shares that, “it’s given me a peace of mind to have somewhere to sleep at night. I completed a finance program; I have things to do. It put me in a better place to take the steps I need in the future. It’s giving me options and helps me find things I can get into to be more productive.”
In addition to staying at the Loft, Kennedy finds community on a daily basis at the drop-in center. “I come to the drop-in center to spend time with Kenyatta (drop-in center manager) and get ice cream every day. Sometimes we do case management to work on a clear plan on my next steps and getting back on my feet. I’m here every single day. It’s very chill and mellow. I see people come here as a safe haven and take showers. I see people when they come here at low points and find hope. Or when it comes to building community I’ve seen it.”
Kennedy expresses her thanks to those who give to The Coffee Oasis. “You are giving to strong kids. All of us are very strong kids. We’re resilient and intelligent beyond belief. With the little things and even the big things, we sometimes have to be there for each other in ways that people are often not.”
Kennedy is an avid and ambitious reader. Some recent books she has completed are The Color of Law, a history of the modern American metropolis by a leading authority on housing policy, and The Burning, about the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. She loves to listen to music. “It’s an important thing for me because a lot of American music is influenced by my culture. I love to write and sing. I write my own music and poems.”
In the future, Kennedy hopes to be able to teach. “I’ve gone through a lot and I’ve taken notes and I’ve learned a lot. In my long-distance future, I’d love to be a mother. I’d love to write a book or start an organization. A lot of the lessons I was taught, I’ve had to learn the hard way. I’d love to take some of that away from someone else and help at least one person.”
Story Written by: Caryn Wright // Date Written: November 26, 2024
January – September 2024:
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